USA vs All Blacks - 01/11

[psychic duck]

Historic match to be played in front of a sell out 60,000 crowd in Chicago, the All Blacks will be making a nice bit of money from this test.

The USA desperately needed their best players for this game and look to have secured release from PRL, not an amazing deal for them but one that needed to be done.

So considering that I would imagine their team would be something like this. Front row **** is as ever, half backs sub standard, but they usually raise their game at home so I think they may compete better than their form guide may suggest especially if the All Blacks trial out some fresh players.

1. Fry
2. Thiel
3. Kilifi
4. Smith
5. Manoa
6. Clever
7. LaValla
8. Dolan
9. Petri
10. Siddall
11. Scully
12. Suniula
13. Kelly
14. Thompson
15. Wyles

 

[ratsapprentice]

Their scrum really is going to have a long day, there is only so much that effort can help.
Hope it doesn't ruin the game.

 

[ruggabee]

Adam Siddall? He played schools rugby in New Zealand and wasn't anything special. I'm amazed he's playing test rugby, and against the ABs!

I can't see any other outcome from this game other than a thrashing. A big big score for the ABs. Do Americans really want to see that? Won't this turn away any potentially new rugby fans?

 

[psychic duck]

Adam Siddall? He played schools rugby in New Zealand and wasn't anything special. I'm amazed he's playing test rugby, and against the ABs!

I can't see any other outcome from this game other than a thrashing. A big big score for the ABs. Do Americans really want to see that? Won't this turn away any potentially new rugby fans?

What's a 'big big score'? That could be anything depending on who you ask. If you're thinking it will be a 100 pointer though, then there's no doubt you'll be wrong. Fans want to see the best in the world, Italy have hardly ever had much chance of beating the All Blacks, yet it was the ABs who could fill the San Siro and break the record crowd.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Anyone claiming to know how a one-sided scoreline will affect rugby in the USA is wrong IMO. I can't see how you could predict that.

I think the important element in terms of the marketing of the sport is that people who have never watched rugby before come away thinking, "that is ****ing legit, these guys are serious professional athletes and I would love to watch this again".
What you absolutely don't want is people consigning it to the bin of niche, novelty sports like Handball or Lacrosse.

So whether it's an unusually tight game or one where the ABs rack up 100pts - as long as there is a high degree of skill and individual athleticism on display I think it will increase the popularity of the sport.
And that, in my eyes, will make it a success. In fact - it's already a success, given the number of tickets they've sold.

 

[goodNumber10]

What's a 'big big score'? That could be anything depending on who you ask. If you're thinking it will be a 100 pointer though, then there's no doubt you'll be wrong. Fans want to see the best in the world, Italy have hardly ever had much chance of beating the All Blacks, yet it was the ABs who could fill the San Siro and break the record crowd.

It will be at least 60 points.

Doesn't mean it's not a good thing to do but they will get smashed.

 

[Imagine]

I hope that the 'beating', that is being predicted doesn't cause the crowd to leave before the end of the game, because that might curb the growth of Rugby in the USA.

 

[psychic duck]

It will be at least 60 points.

Doesn't mean it's not a good thing to do but they will get smashed.

Much like it was 'at least 60 points' last year against Japan?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Japan are 7 places higher in the rankings (for what they're worth) and conceded 54 points against a sub-par (by their standards, obviously) AB's side.

The USA don't currently have a recognised TH afaik and they are extremely worried about their scrum - something that is a big strength for Japan.

If the AB's put out a decent team (which I think they will) they should score 60 at a canter.

 

[LittleGuy]

It's really difficult to make a scoreline prediction without having any idea what the All Black squad will be for this one.

If it's a younger side than I don't think it's impossible for the Eagles to keep the margin of defeat around 50 like Japan did last year(Japan actually played pretty poorly in that game particularly in the 2nd half). While a better side might run for more like a 60 plus margin. I really can't see any record breaking scorelines being set.

Conditions could be a factor as well, a wet and cool early November day in Chicago might keep the scorelines down a bit for example.

 

[psychic duck]

Japan are 7 places higher in the rankings (for what they're worth) and conceded 54 points against a sub-par (by their standards, obviously) AB's side.

The USA don't currently have a recognised TH afaik and they are extremely worried about their scrum - something that is a big strength for Japan.

If the AB's put out a decent team (which I think they will) they should score 60 at a canter.

- The IRB rankings are a load of crap and overrate Japan by at least 3 places.
- That game last year didn't flatter Japan, notably with one individual single handedly wrecking a decent effort in the first half, followed by a sub par second half performance.
- USA are a stronger more physical defensive unit than Japan with fewer mental weaklings.
- I wouldn't count the scrum as the be all and end all, Scotland had that advantage last June and if anything it lessened their score as it wasted about a quarter of the game.
- The All Blacks will be experimenting, the USA will be full strength and at home, which has made a big difference to how they get up for games recently against Ireland or Maori All Blacks.

Not claiming it won't be 60 as it may well be, but holding that as the minimum it will be is some way off the mark and probably done by the same people who thought Japan would lose by 100 points last year. USA played a complete second string XV against Australia at the World Cup, they only got into the 60's and only in the final minutes. It's hardly a given that All Blacks will score 60 'at a canter' against a first string Eagles team, they will have to play well to do so.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The reffing in that Maori game was farcical - the worst I have ever seen. To the point where at the time I thought the guy was possibly crooked.

I didn't say it would be minimum 60 - it's a very real possibility that it will be a demolition job.
It all depends on how seriously the AB's take it - if they send out anything like a full strength side and go into it with a proper test mentality then **** could get ugly.

I'm not being pessimistic here - as I say, the AB's in full flight thrashing the USA would be better as a tool for promotion than a half-baked error strewn performance IMO.

I think the Eagle's passion will be through the roof and that will count for a lot - hopefully they can keep a lid on it and not let it turn into errors.
If they can do that I think they will put in a performance that USA rugby fans will be proud of.

http://www.goffrugbyreport.com/national-teams/more-tickets-sale-usa-v-nz

Good news - looks like it could sell out completely!

 

[marianodan]

60,000 spectators for a Rugby match??? in USA???

 

[Jaguares]

Their scrum really is going to have a long day, there is only so much that effort can help.
Hope it doesn't ruin the game.

USA's scrum was crushed by Uruguay's scrum

 

[psychic duck]

The reffing in that Maori game was farcical - the worst I have ever seen. To the point where at the time I thought the guy was possibly crooked.

I didn't say it would be minimum 60 - it's a very real possibility that it will be a demolition job.
It all depends on how seriously the AB's take it - if they send out anything like a full strength side and go into it with a proper test mentality then **** could get ugly.

I'm not being pessimistic here - as I say, the AB's in full flight thrashing the USA would be better as a tool for promotion than a half-baked error strewn performance IMO.

I think the Eagle's passion will be through the roof and that will count for a lot - hopefully they can keep a lid on it and not let it turn into errors.
If they can do that I think they will put in a performance that USA rugby fans will be proud of.

http://www.goffrugbyreport.com/national-teams/more-tickets-sale-usa-v-nz

Good news - looks like it could sell out completely!

That was a statement posted earlier by another poster, and one that was way off the mark. There's no way at all this gets close to 100 barring the ultimate worst USA performance ever. The All Blacks have faced far worse sides and not even got there before, such as Japan's reserves or an exhausted Canada side playing playing with a 3 day rest at the World Cup. They had home advantage there as well, it should be more likely around the challenge of last year's test than those before.

'Worst refereeing ever' is quite some statement by the way, any specific instances of it? Watch France vs Fiji from 1999, in terms of big calls repeatedly got wrong that was the worst I've seen. Paddy O'Brien missed a Fiji try, and awarded a France try falsely, allowed them to kick a penalty they had already quick tapped, so his decision caused a 17 point swing and on top of that missed a possible red card offence with a French headbutt. Pro12 refereeing is often utterly abysmal standard as well, especially in international periods.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

USA will need to eat their vitamins and say their prayers ... brother ...

 

[Kapa O Pango]

USA by 69 points just sayin'

 

[Jaguares]

My USA team:

1 Geno Atkins
2 Haloti Ngata
3 Vince Wilfork
4 Rob Gronkowski
5 Jimmy Graham
6 Patrick Willis
7 Vernon Davis
8 Julius Thomas
9 Peyton Manning (c)
10 Stephen Gostkowski
11 Demaryius Thomas
12 Adrian Peterson
13 DeMarco Murray
14 Calvin Johnson
15 Lesean McCoy

USA by 50

USA by 69 points just sayin'

With my team that's possible

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

My USA team:

1 Geno Atkins
2 Haloti Ngata
3 Vince Wilfork
4 Rob Gronkowski
5 Jimmy Graham
6 Patrick Willis
7 Vernon Davis
8 Julius Thomas
9 Peyton Manning (c)
10 Stephen Gostkowski
11 Demaryius Thomas
12 Adrian Peterson
13 DeMarco Murray
14 Calvin Johnson
15 Lesean McCoy

USA by 50



With my team that's possible

now now conrad there is no need to switch teams especially when your going to be playing against them.

 

[Imagine]

They are American made....brother